- Margarett Best
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Hon. Margarett Best MPP Incumbent Assumed office
October 10, 2007Preceded by riding established Constituency Scarborough—Guildwood Ministry of Consumer Services Incumbent Assumed office
October 20, 2011Preceded by John Gerretsen Minister of Health Promotion and Sport In office
October 30, 2007 – October 20, 2011Preceded by Jim Watson Succeeded by Deb Matthews Personal details Born 1958 (age 52–53)
May Pen, [Clarendon] JamaicaPolitical party Liberal Children 3 Residence Toronto Occupation Lawyer Margarett Best (born 1958) is a Canadian politician. She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2007 provincial election, representing the riding of Scarborough—Guildwood. She is a member of the Liberal Party.
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Background
Best, an African Canadian lawyer and community activist, was born in Jamaica. She was educated at the University of Toronto at Scarborough and Osgoode Hall Law School. She holds a Mutual Fund Certificate from the Investment Funds Institute of Canada.
She is a mother, an avid gardener who loves the arts and has a passion for writing. In 2006 she was awarded the African Canadian Achievement Award for excellence in parenting and another African Canadian Award in 2011 for Excellence in Politics.
In 2008, she was conferred with a Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree by the Northern Caribbean University. Best has also received the BBPA Women of Distinction Award and, in October 2009, was bestowed with a 2009 National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada Award in the Distinguished Services category of Equality/Social Justice. She was named one of Canada's most influential women in Sports and Physical Activity in 2010 and received a City of Toronto Diversity Award in 2011.
Politics
A member of the Ontario Legislature, she was appointed Minister of Health Promotion after the 2007 election. Her ministry supports a wide range of programs and services that include chronic disease prevention, physical activity, sport participation, injury prevention and mental wellness.
In 2008, she introduced a bill that would ban smoking in cars when children were present. The bill called the Smoke-Free Ontario Amendment Act would impose a fine of $250 for transgressors.[1]
In August 2010, the name of the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport was changed to include sports as part of the Ministry's name to reflect the fact that sport was a key component of her Ministerial responsibilities. She was a key part of the team led by Premier Dalton McGuinty in the successful bid for the Pan/Parapan American Games.
.[2]
Best was re-elected in 2011, beating Conservative candidate by 6,649 votes. Best bettered the Conservatives by an even wider margin than in 2007. Best made history by becoming the first African-Canadian woman to be re-elected to the Provincial Legislature in the Province of Ontario.
Electoral record
Ontario general election, 2011 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Margarett Best 15,606 - Progressive Conservative Gary Ellis 9,137 - New Democrat Lorri Urban 6,193 - Green Naoshad Pochkhanawala 413 - Libertarian Sam Apelbaum 407 - Freedom Matthew Oliver 134 - Total valid votes 100.0 Ontario general election, 2007 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Margarett Best 14,413 42.5 - Progressive Conservative Gary Grant 9,484 28.0 - New Democrat Neethan Shan 7,442 21.9 - Green Glenn Kitchen 1,812 5.3 - Libertarian Sam Apelbaum 487 1.4 - Family Coalition Daniel Carvalho 290 0.9 - Total valid votes 33,928 100.0 References
- ^ "Bill bans smoking in car with children; Legislation proposes fines of $250". 2008-05-01. p. A12.
- ^ Aveling, Nick (2010-08-10). "McGuinty shuffles cabinet; Liberal team set for 2011 election". p. A10.
- ^ Yang, Jennifer (2011-09-15). "Tories go with another Gary; Party hopes ex-cop Ellis can oust minister Best". p. GT5.
External links
- Margarett Best's official MPP Site
- Margarett Best's Ontario Liberal Party biography
- Legislative Assembly of Ontario biography
Categories:- 1958 births
- Black Canadian politicians
- Canadian people of Jamaican descent
- Jamaican emigrants to Canada
- Living people
- Ontario Liberal Party MPPs
- Osgoode Hall Law School alumni
- Lawyers in Ontario
- People from Toronto
- University of Toronto alumni
- Women MPPs in Ontario
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